Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Ashfall by Mike Mullin
Ashfall #1
Release Date: October 11, 2011
Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Source: Bought
Rating: Essential

Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don’t realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano, so large that the caldera can only be seen by plane or satellite. And by some scientific measurements, it could be overdue for an eruption.

For Alex, being left alone for the weekend means having the freedom to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother. Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence. Alex begins a harrowing trek to seach for his family and finds help in Darla, a travel partner he meets along the way. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster. Goodreads

There needs to be more disaster novels like this one! I don't know about you, but I love reading about natural disasters in fiction, because I love reading about how the government reacts, how the 'normal' people find the strength to survive and all that jazz.

Ashfall is action packed and quicks off right from the start when a huge rock (from the supervolcano) hits Alex's house and he's forced to leave. His parents had left earlier that day to go to his uncle's farm, so Alex is left worrying over them and he's desperate to find them.

Mike Mullin certainly knows how to pack a punch. There are so many gory scenes in this book, it's not for the faint hearted, and the author does an amazing job of making you feel for the characters involved. I felt ill at some points because, while the descriptions weren't overly graphic, there were some shocking moments and it really made my stomach tighten.

Trigger warning: While the act is not described, there is implied rape. I wanted to give a warning because some people may feel extremely unsettled by it.

Ashfall is a fantastic adventure story that will stay with me for a long time. Alex was a great character, and while he was a bit hopeless at the beginning, he really started to learn from his mistakes by the end. I should hope so, too, because those mistakes nearly got him killed numerous times.

I loved Alex's relationship with Darla. It didn't feel forced in the slightest and they really took their time to fall for each other. It was obvious it was coming, but I started to root for them way before it happened. Darla was the perfect match for Alex, and I really feel that they balance each other out. Darla is a BAMF!

I highly suggest reading this book if you're a fan of adventure novels, or if you're looking for a great story told from a guy's point of view. Those are rare in YA! I don't think there's anything I didn't like about this book because I was kept entertained all the way through.

I can't wait to read the second novel which comes out in October of this year!

The Ashfall trilogy:

1. Ashfall

2. Ashen Winter

3. Untitled